


This Photo of Us (It Don't Have a Price)

by AnonymousSpacePrince



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, Paparazzi, Rumors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-04-05 07:46:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,523
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14039523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnonymousSpacePrince/pseuds/AnonymousSpacePrince
Summary: "Tony." Oh yeah, he was in trouble. "Why am I looking at fifteen different news websites with a picture of you kissing Steve on the homepage?"Tony thought kissing Steve in front of paparazzi would be funny. It was, and then some.





	This Photo of Us (It Don't Have a Price)

**Author's Note:**

> i'm back with a brand new muse, hello.
> 
> i'm always more hesitant posting for a largely-populated fandom because of the higher likelihood of accidentally writing something that's already been done, but whatever, what's life without risk? i can promise that all my plots come from my own brain, even if they happened to come from someone else's first.
> 
> so here's an angst-free little fic to test the waters before diving into the unknown (potentially piranha-infested) depths.
> 
> my characterisation might be a little off, but that usually gets better with practice. i'm pretty sure it's not too bad, but let me know, because i've been told i can be overconfident.
> 
> title is from paparazzi by lady gaga, because, like, duh.

    Tony's phone started vibrating and lit up with Pepper's contact photo, and he winced. If she was calling at two in the afternoon, he was in trouble for something. Tony took a breath and swiped the screen to answer.

    "Hey, Pep," he greeted cheerfully. "How's my favourite CEO doing?"

    "Tony." Oh yeah, he was in trouble. "Why am I looking at fifteen different news websites with a picture of you kissing Steve on the homepage?"

    Tony resisted the urge to laugh. Okay, so he was definitely in trouble, but not mortal peril. He could work with that. "Uh, because you learned to use the multi-page view function on your new computer?"

    Pepper sighed, and Tony could picture her pinching the bridge of her nose and counting to ten. He swallowed another laugh.

    "Don't melt down, Pep, it's nothing. Some paparazzi were being extra persistent the other day so I said something like 'what do you think we're gonna do, make out in the middle of the street?', and they lit up like it was Christmas day, so I planted one on Cap. I thought it would be funny," Tony said. "And it was."

    "I fail to see the humor in that," Pepper said.

    "You fail to see the humor in everything," Tony quipped back.

    Pepper sighed again, and Tony silently counted with her, grinning to himself. "Okay," Pepper said after a few seconds, "so, what? You're dating Steve now?" She was using her point-making voice, but Tony was more focused on the actual words.

    "What? No, of course I'm not dating Steve," Tony said. "It was a joke."

    "Ohhh," Pepper said, her point-making voice clearer than ever, "well that's not what half of America thinks. Of the fifteen sites I'm looking at– oh, wait, sixteen, BuzzFeed just weighed in– only one suggested that it was just you goofing off. All the others are speculating a big surprise romance between Iron Man and Captain America. BuzzFeed is calling you a gay icon."

    Tony scoffed. "Well, that's just offensive. I like women just as much as I like men. I'm a bi icon."

    There was a long silence on the line. Finally, Pepper said, "you're bi?"

    Tony raised an eyebrow, though Pepper couldn't see. "You didn't know that?"

    "You never told me."

    "I thought it was fairly obvious."

    "Well I'm not _surprised_..." Pepper said. "Either way, everyone is losing their minds over this, and there's gonna be a ton of consequence. Homophobic investors are gonna cut ties with SI, homophobic politicians are gonna start rallying against the Avengers, and when we put out a statement denying the claims, everybody and their brother is going to start speculating, forming conspiracy theories, and coming up with ways to accuse you of either being closeted or being homophobic yourself."

    Tony couldn't help an eye roll. "In this day and age? Pepper, that's just ridiculous."

    "I'm not saying the world isn't a messed up place, but this is a giant shit show no matter which way we look at it."

    Tony could feel a headache coming on. "Oh, wait!" He said, voice full of mock-glee. "I just remembered that I'm Tony Stark and I don't give a fuck what anyone thinks! Gosh, what a relief!" He dropped the act and said, "seriously, Pep, who cares? Put out a statement explaining that it was just a stupid joke, or better yet, just don't do anything. The press has accused me of much, much worse things than dating Captain America."

    "Right," Pepper said, too patient. It made Tony nervous. "Have you thought about how Steve might feel about this?"

    "Son of a bitch." No, he hadn't. Mr. American Hero must be losing his mind. Then again... "He didn't seem to care that much when I kissed him."

    "Tony."

    "Right, yeah." Tony sighed. "I'll talk to him. Just don't say anything for now, total radio silence, let them tire themselves out before you throw more fuel on the fire. We'll talk later." Tony hung up before Pepper could respond.

    He figured it'd be better to talk to Steve sooner rather than later. "JARVIS," Tony said, "where's Cap?"

    "Captain Rogers is in the fifty-second floor common area, sir," JARVIS answered promptly.

    "Is he alone?"

    "Yes, sir."

    "Has he heard the news?"

    "It doesn't appear so."

    "Great." On the bright side, Tony got to explain the situation before Steve found out for himself. On the very, very not bright side, Tony had to tell him.

    He decided to bite the bullet and go talk to him before he lost the opportunity to preempt Steve finding out some other way. Tony headed for the elevator, which was already waiting for him, and stepped inside.

    JARVIS sent the elevator down without being prompted, and Tony stepped out on the fifty-second floor. He located Steve easily, sitting on the couch with a bowl of cereal and watching some show Tony didn't recognize.

    "Cereal for lunch, Cap?" Tony asked, hopping over the back of the couch to perch on the arm, leaving enough space to have a little reaction time if Steve tried to kill him. "What are you, a broke college student?"

    Steve snorted. "I was in the mood for cereal, sue me," he said. He muted the TV and turned to give Tony his attention. "What's up?"

    "Uh, it's been brought to my attention that there's a situation."

    "What kind of situation?" Steve asked, setting his cereal bowl on the coffee table.

    "Well," Tony said, trying to figure out how best to break the news. "Remember the other day when I kissed you for those paparazzi?"

    "Yeah," Steve said, a hint of amusement in his tone. "Let me guess, the picture's in every magazine in America?"

    Remarkably, he didn't seem bothered, but Tony figured that would change in a moment. "Naturally, but uh, the thing is, they're apparently circulating heavily with rumors that we're together," Tony said, bracing himself for Steve's reaction.

    Steve's eyebrows raised in surprise but the corners of eyes crinkled with amusement, and he laughed.

    Tony sure wasn't expecting that. He'd been prepared for shock, yelling, maybe even a punch, but certainly not laughter. He was relieved and... a little insulted, actually. "What, is the idea that The Good Captain might date such a deviant as myself really that laughable?"

    "No, it's not that," Steve said, a hint of lingering laughter lacing his words, "it's just funny." He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Don't you think it's funny? I thought that's why you did it in the first place."

    "I do," Tony said. "It is. I just thought you would be mad, or at least... not amused."

    "Why would I?" Steve asked.

    "I dunno," Tony said, holding his hands up. "I just assumed you wouldn't appreciate people thinking you were dating me."

    "I don't care if people think that," Steve said. With a hint of teasing, he added, "I could do worse."

    Tony was thrown for a loop. "I... Seriously?"

    Steve narrowed his eyes speculatively, and then raised an eyebrow. "You really think you could've gotten away with kissing me if I hadn't been okay with it?"

    _Huh_. "Fair point. So, you're not mad, and you don't care that half the country thinks you're dating not only a man, but a man with such an appalling reputation as myself?"

    "Uh, no," Steve said. "I don't mind the idea of dating you."

    "The idea of rumors that you're dating me?" Tony tried to clarify, ignoring the way his heart suddenly picked up a few extra beats.

    "Sure," Steve said easily. The tone of the word gave Tony the distinct impression that it did not mean _yes_.

    "What are you saying, Rogers?"

    The corner of Steve's mouth turned up. "Aren't you supposed to be a genius?"

    "Hey!" Tony protested, slightly amused, though surprise was taking precedence over all other emotion. "I'm just trying to figure this out, because it sounds like you're saying you wouldn't mind actually dating me, and I get the feeling you mean you would like to date me, which is all manners of confusing."

    Steve tilted his head to the side and looked at Tony with interest. "Why is that confusing?"

    "Because you're you," Tony said, gesturing to Steve in all of his gorgeous glory, "and I'm me." He tossed his hand noncommittally in his own direction. "Not that I'm not amazing, but you could have anyone you wanted. Like, literally anyone."

    Steve smiled crookedly, radiating confidence, and said, "well, I want you."

    Tony's eyebrows shot up along with his heart rate. That made him feel all kinds of wow. A slow, benevolent smirk spread across his face. "Oh yeah?" Tony asked, sliding off the arm of the couch and moving close to Steve. "You wanna go find some more paparazzi for me to kiss you in front of?"

    Steve's cheeks colored faintly and he leaned a little further into Tony's space. "Why don't you just kiss me now?" He asked, giving Tony a look that could only be described as innocently seductive, all bright eyes and smiling, parted lips.

    "Well, how could I say no to that?" Tony touched the curves of Steve's jaw, feeling the warmth of his cheeks under his thumbs, and he closed his eyes as he leaned in.

    The first brush of their lips was familiar, soft and pleasant, but the way Steve slipped a hand around Tony's neck and parted his lips to form against Tony's was new. Tony felt a shock of butterflies in his chest and he sunk easily into the kiss, reveling in the soft warmth of Steve's mouth and the way they moved together.

    They parted after a short time, and Tony opened his eyes to see Steve wearing a brilliant smile. Tony smiled back without restraint, stroking Steve's cheek with his thumb and sliding his other hand down Steve's arm to slip into his own. Steve squeezed Tony's hand gently and pressed another kiss to his lips, chaste.

    "So, yeah, dating," Tony said. "I can do that. I want to."

    "Good," Steve said smilingly.

    "I guess we can put out a statement confirming the rumors instead of denying them," Tony said. "I better call Pepper about that."

    "Can that wait?" Steve asked, rubbing his thumb lightly under the hinge of Tony's jaw. "I'd like to kiss you some more, now."

    Tony would have had to be a far stupider man to say no to that. "It can wait as long as you want, babe," he said, delighting in the grin that earned him.

  
    Half an hour, or maybe an hour– Tony lost all concept of time in the feeling of Steve's soft lips and slick tongue dancing with his– later, Tony had his phone out. He tapped Pepper's speed dial with one hand while the fingers of his other played idly with Steve's hair where his head was rested on Tony's chest.

    She answered after two rings, which meant she was waiting for his call, and said, "did you talk to Steve?"

    "Hi, Pepper, it's nice to hear your voice too," Tony said. "I'm doing fine, you're so considerate for asking, how are you?"

    Steve snorted almost inaudibly, and Tony flicked his shoulder playfully. On the phone, Pepper sighed and said, "did you talk to him or not?"

    "Yes, I talked to Steve," Tony told her, teasing his hand under the neck of Steve's shirt to touch the warm, bare skin of his shoulder.

    "And?"

    "He was very understanding about the situation," Tony said with a small smirk.

    "Well, that's good," Pepper said.

    Tony's hand drifted back up into Steve's hair, mussing up the strands. Steve hummed pleasantly, too softly for Pepper to hear.

    "So, should I put out a statement refuting the rumors before this gets out of hand?"

    "No," Tony said. "Put out a statement confirming that Steve and I are dating."

    There was a long beat of silence before Pepper said, "can you please stop joking and make this a little easier on me?"

    Tony couldn't help laughing as he said, "I'm not joking, Pep, I mean it."

    He heard Pepper sigh at length. "I have about fifty other things to handle today, Tony, I really don't have time for this."

    "I'm serious! Put out a statement confirming the rumors."

    "Tony."

    "It's the truth, Pepper," Tony said. He had to bite his lip to keep from laughing at the sheer absurdity of the conversation. "Steve and I are dating."

    "Just an hour ago you told me that you weren't," Pepper said impatiently. "Why are you being so difficult?"

    "You're the one who's being difficult, actually," Tony said. "Like I said, he was very understanding about the situation."

    Steve looked up with an amused smile, resting his chin against Tony's chest. Tony smiled down at him and ran his fingers through Steve's hair, pushing it back from his face while another sigh came through the phone speakers.

    "She doesn't believe me," Tony said to Steve. "Here, you tell her."

    Steve shook his head in a way Tony could tell was fond as he took the phone and held it to his own ear. "Hey, Pepper, it's Steve."

    Tony tugged on Steve's shoulder, and Steve moved up closer so Tony could listen in. He took the opportunity to press a kiss to Steve's cheek before leaning close enough to hear. "–was being serious?" Pepper was asking. "You really are together?"

    "We are," Steve said. "In all fairness, I probably wouldn't have believed him if I were you either."

    "Hey!" Tony protested, laughing.

    "Sorry," Steve said, looking not at all sorry. Tony swatted his shoulder lightly, and Steve tipped up to kiss Tony's cheek.

    "Well, congratulations, guys," Pepper said, and Tony could hear the smile in her voice. "So you really want a statement put out confirming the rumors?"

    "Yes," Tony said. "Hey, it turns out that one news site was actually the only one who has it wrong," he mused. "Oh, Steve, BuzzFeed called us gay icons."

    Steve frowned. "Well that's inaccurate. I'm bi, not gay. If anything, I'd be a bi icon."

    Tony lit up with amused, delighted warmth. "That's what I said! Look, Pep, we're perfect for each other."

    Steve adopted a gorgeously pleased smile, and Tony couldn't resist kissing him.

    Tony heard Pepper laugh warmly over the phone. "You sure are," she said. "Okay, let me get off the phone and get this in motion. I'll text you when the statement goes out."

    "Okay," Tony said. "Thanks."

    "Thanks, Pepper," Steve echoed.

    "No problem, guys," Pepper said, her voice smiling.

    "Love you, Pep," Tony said.

    Pepper chuckled fondly. "Love you too, Tony. Bye."

    "Bye," Tony replied, then he hung up and tossed his phone aside. "Okay, what do you think?" He said to Steve. "Make out some more, raid the fridge for lunch, or take a well-deserved nap after this very nice, very eventful morning?"

    "How about we make out until we're tired, take a nap, and then eat when we wake up?"

    Tony grinned. "Now you're speaking my language," he said, tugging Steve close enough to brush their lips together. "God, I'm so glad I'm dating you."

**Author's Note:**

> feel free to point out any mistakes i might've missed, and let me know if you'd like to see more of these two from me.
> 
> encouraging comments motivate me more than anything. (and, like the self-doubting narcissist i am, i love to hear confirmations of the things i think are great about myself.)


End file.
